here is a sampling. okay with tax race or 1 million plus earners as long as we get significant spending cuts now. not just empty promises. we need leadership in washington. both sides have no idea what they are doing. rob said it depends on the cuts. i like the fact that compromise is in the works though, that is how government is supposed to work. thanks for sharing with us. a lot of you had things to say about whether or not speaker boehner should remain speaker boehner. that's for another day. that's for us here in washington, "fox news sunday" is up next. i'm shannon bream. thanks for watching and be sure to reach out to those around you who you know are in need today. >> i'm chris wallace. a deadly grade school shooting in connecticut leaves officials, parents, and the nation searching for answers. >> the majority of those who died today were children. beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years

old. >> we'll have live reports from the scene with the latest on the investigation and the victims. we'll talk with police, parents of some of the children who attend the school. and with the state's long-time senator joe lieberman. >> then will there be a new push on capitol hill for cuffer gun control? we hear the same calls after every mass shooting. but will the horrific nature of this crime change the debate? we'll ask democratic senator dick durbin and republican congressman lieu ego merit. we'll also look at what we can do better to protect our children when we talk with ronald stevens, one of the nation's top experts on school safety. >> chris: and our sunday panel weighs in on a crime of mass violence that is becoming much too familiar. >> our special school tragedy coverage begins right now on "fox news sunday."

and hello again from fox news in washington. our hearts are broken. that's how president obama responded friday to the slaughter of 27 people. 20 of them little children as he spoke to and for the nation. today, we'll try to make some sense of the senseless act of violence at sandy hook elementary school. we'll talk with our guests in a moment but first here is the latest from new town connecticut. authorities say all the children first graders, six or seven years old were shot multiple times. the six adult victims were all women. police say they have good evidence about the suspect adam lanza but b. why he carried out othe massacre. president obama will speak at the local high school and meet with the families of the victims. for more on the investigation we turn to fox news correspondent mike tobin in newtown.

mike? >> good morning, chris. people here in new town are flocking to the churches once again to mourn and try to comprehend the incomprehensible as we learn more about the horrible details of what happened here. details from the medical examiner gruesome. close range. those lives just getting started 8 little boys and 12 little girls 6 and 7 years old. >> i have been at this for a third of a century. my sensibilities may not be the average man but this probably is the worst i have seen or the worst that i know of any of my colleagues having seen. >> six of the victims at the sandy hook elementary school were standoff. the principal dawn hochsprung said to be killed lunging at the gunman.

sur lock also killed. the mother of the shooter was found dead. police found evidence they hope will explain the motivation of the gunman. >> the secondary crime scene that we discussed where the female was located deceased did produce some very good evidence in this investigation. >> that gunman, 20-year-old adam lanza. reports say he had the disorder as berger's syndrome. his aunt said he was troubled and needed to be home schooled. >> he was different. he was quiet. nice kid. good kid. i mean, he was definitely a challenge to the family in that house. >> in connecticut makeshift memorials grow where hearts are broken. people draw on the bonds small town american for strength to endure the sadness. they hear the stories told by parents like parker about the last time he saw his 6-year-old daughter emily. >> she told me good morning. and asked how i was doing. i said i pass was doing well.

she said that she loved me and i gave her a kiss and i was out the door. >> federal agents are now fanning out to gun stores and gun ranges across connecticut. following leads and trying to piece together a time line of what led up to this tremendous loss of life. chris? >> mike tobin reporting from newtown, connecticut. mike, thanks for that. now, let's bring in fox news correspondent molly line. who has been finding out more about the victims of the shooting rampage. molly? >> chris, all across this small community, people are just beginning to come to grips with their grief and they are coming together. joined through prayer and mourning. >> the small makeshift memorials are everywhere. flowers, balloons and handwritten signs. some talked with christmas decorations a reminder of celebrations that for many families in this tightly nit community of newtown will never be. >> one of the mothers told me on thursday he asked her what dying was about.

and, you know, then the next day he died. >> monday senior robert weiss is accustomed to cover the grieved. i-people move here because this is a safe place, a small town where neighbors know neighbors. dana lives mere the elementary school. >> i'm numbed still. you hear about this happening but never here in your backyard. >> over the next several days there will be dozens of funerals and memorial services here. then the daunting task of trying to return to some sense of normalcy. >> what's next week going to be like for the children who survive this? how are they going to walk into that school? how are they going to keep moving forward? how are they going to feel safe? who are they going to trust? >> many here know this is an

enduring loss and path forward will be a long one. chris? >> molly, thank you. it is a parent's worst nightmare. you get a call your child's school is in lockdown. some families in newtown got that call friday. calls that led to relief or despair. joining us now is robert locata his son aden is a first grader saved by his teacher and ran to safety. his daughter was also unharmed. also joining us joe and lynn wassick as well as their daughter alexis who was in the 3rd grade at sandy hook. two days later, robert, how is your family doing? >> you know, we are taking it day by day and minute by minute. it's what both our son and our daughter saw is incomprehensible. we're trying to make sense of a senseless act. we speak to him. we make sure we understand what he is feeling.

we try to explain things that can't be explained. and we take stock in our faith and in our community, our neighbors and our friends who have been just tremendous. >> lynn and joe. and little alexis, i see there in front of you. does alexis want to talk about it and if so what are you telling her? >> as far as talking, we haven't -- we're breaking it to her slowly. we're not trying to pry too much if she is forth coming in telling us stuff, we're allowing it, you know, we're letting her come out slowly. we're not prying into her, you know, what happened. we don't want to do that. >> robert, your son, aden, is in the first grade. and i understand that the

gunman burst into his classroom and was con fronted and shot his very brave teacher. we will talk about her in a minute. victoria soto. what did aden do after that. >> we're finding out more and more every day. but he basically the children witnessed the shooter come into the room. shoot his teacher, continue firing. the children acted on instinct and what they were taught, which was to run. and they did. they just ran up to the main road 100 yards away. my son and several of his other students were extremely brave in what they did and acted with courage that i don't know that i have. and again, they just ran and

were fortunate enough to meet a woman who was -- is another hero in the story and took them to the police station. >> chris: i understand. >> they just just ran. >> i understand that aden not only waited for aden to make sure he was safe. tell us about victoria soto. coming out this 27-year-old first grade teacher actually tried to persuade the gunman not to shoot and put herself in front of the gunman and lost her life trying to save her children. tell us about her. >> you know, the school year was regularrively knew. my wife knew her a little bit better than i did. i did meet her on one occasion. and my wife spoke very highly of her. shy was very compassion not young woman.

she loved them in return. she was very special and we'll always remember her. >> and lynn and joe, there were other remarkable acts of bravery none greater than the principal dawn hochsprung. we understand that when she heard the gunfire she ran towards it not away from it of it and apparently lunged at the shooter trying to save the students. lended up losing her own life. tell us about dawn was phenomenal. i had seen her just about every morning. alexus is part of the before and after school program at the school. and every day that i would see dawn, it was always dawn has an infectious smile. she was so caring. shy got down to the children's level. she participated with in so many activities with the children and she dressed up when they had a sock hop last year and she actually wept in and danced with the children

if they sold 3,000 books she dressed up as book fairy. she was a wonderful wonderful person. there is no words to describe the loss that we all as a community have felt and not only her family. >> robert, you know, aden knows some of the families who lost children in this. some of them were his classmates. first grade class of victoria society to. in this sense is that bitter sweet that you have adeb and older daughter also at the school kaline and some of your neighbors don't? >> yeah. it's a small community. right? so, all of the children know each other from preschool. they go to church together. they have play dates together.

wener thought he was gone but he could have very well been one of those that were affected. we feel very blessed. and it is bittersweet because we do, while we feel blessed that we still have our son and our daughter, we mourn for our friends and neighbors who weren't as fortunate and lost their children. >> chris: lynn, finally i guess this is the hardest question, how do you make sense of this? there is no sense. there is absolutely no sense to this i think i'm still very numb. like robert said we are blessed having our daughter with us us here today. how many families and friends and everyone in the community didn't go home with their children friday night. it's just very very heart

wrenching and there is no -- there is no way to make any sense of anything what this person has done. not only to families but to a community, to a nation, and it's just unfathomable. you just don't. who would have ever thought here in this new town of 20 some odd thousand people. that's why people are here. it's a small, wonderful community where people are -- they just come together. as we were coming through town there is a banner that says we will be strong as a community and we will remain strong and we'll always be here for anyone and with everyone in our community and within our school. >> lynn and joe and alexus and robert we want to thank you all so much for sharing your stories and just know that our prayers and the prayers of the nation are with you and all your neighbors in newtown. thank you so much. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> chris: friday's mass shooting is the worst in

connecticut history second worst ever in this country. cold numbers only magnify the fact that the so many of the victims were small children. joining us now is joe lieberman who has represented connecticut for 24 years. thank you for coming in on this difficult weekend. >> thank you, chris. >> chris: what do we do? >> you know as lynn said, there is no answer, i mean, this is evil. we have been through this many times. i think we need a national commission on mass violence. not to be in place of anything else the president or congress or state governments might want to do but to make sure that heart break and the anger that we feel now is not dissipated over time or lost in legislative gridlock. i have got to tell you, this

reminds me of the days and weeks after the terrorist attacks against us of 9/11. and at one point, john mccain and i turned to each other and said we can't let this just go. we have got to create a national commission to investigate exactly the questions we are asking about new town. how could this have happened and is there anything we can do to try to prevent it from happening again. >> there were forums after 9/11 and after the commission and the way that the intelligence community and the fbi shared information. it wasn't just let's wallow in our grief. >> no. >> chris: let me ask you a specific question. >> i want to say very quickly that's that's exactly what i don't want to happen. i don't want us to wallow in our grief. i want us to ask what can we do as a society to make sure young member like adam lanza get help before they become shooters and killers. what's the role of violence in our entertainment culture today it in stimulating a vulnerable kid like this? and what more can we do to

keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of people like this? >> chris: let me ask you about some of those specific questions. back in the 90's you supported the breated law which called for a five day waiting period. >> right. >> chris: you aassault weapons ban. you and al gore campaigned around the country and you lost and a lot of people took as a lessen part of it was in states like tennessee and west virginia the fact that you were progun control and quite frankly ever since democrats have been scared of touching that issue. is it full-time for democrats to push for stricter gun control? >> it's time for democrats, republicans and independents to say -- acknowledge two things. one is the strongest conceivable gun control laws won't stop all acts of violence. but also, to acknowledge that the stronger our gun control laws are, the fewer acts of violence, including mass violence that will happen on our society. so, as a result of the brady

law, and it still exists. if you go it noah a licensed firearm dealer you have a background check and it's a thorough one. if you buy a gun from somebody who is not licensed or at a gun show, you don't have to be checked at all. that's a loophole that we ought to close. assault weapons, these were developed by the u.s. military originally as weapons of war. and i think we ought to restore that assault weapons ban because not to take anybody's guns away from them that they have now. but it to stop the manufacture and sale of those weapons now because look what lanza did to these poor kids. >> let's talk about a couple of other things. mental illness. >> yeah. >> this is obviously a disturbed boy. >> correct. >> some other cases holmes in aurora disturbed. the entertainment industry there is some statistics about kids will have watched thousands of acts of violence on videos, on games and movies

and tv by the time, you know, they are 10. specifically, what kind of thing can we do about that? >> that's why i think we need a national commission. i will tell you i spent enough time on this question of violence in the entertainment culture to reach this conclusion. that the violence in the entertainment culture particularly with the extraordinary realism to video game movies et cetera does cause vulnerable young men, particularly to being more violent it. doesn't make everybody more violent but it's a causative factor in some cases. we have got to ask the entertainment industry what are tone it down. >> chris: pass a law. >> in our society you try to do it voluntarily, you have come to a point to say if not maybe there is some things we can do to tone it down. there is a better rating system now than there used to be on video games and violent

movies. they are still out there. when it comes to the mental health system. i think we have really got to ask ourselves first off this is like the slogan that we use in homeland security. see something, say something. we have got to ask parents, friends, school officials if you see a child, a young person that really looks like they are potentially really troublesome, get them mental help. and then we have got to ask ourselves as a society, is there enough mental health help available for these kids? there is is no cure. violence is as old as cain killing his brother able. but god didn't accept that as a given and said if i may to cain, where is your brother? and able, cain says am i my brother's keeper? and god says essentially yes. i hear your brother's blood crying out to me from the ground. and i think we have got to continue to hear the screams

of these children and see their blood until we do something to try to prevent this from happening again. vigil tonight. thank you, sir everywhere. >> chris: up next, with another mass murder, new calls for gun control is now the right time? as our coverage of the school tragedy in connecticut continues. [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis sympto. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion.

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suggesting is now time to reopen the national debate on gun control. as horrific as this shooting has been we have within here before as a nation. there has been little interest in the last decade in tightening gun laws. joining me now is dick durbin in his home state of illinois. senator, how do you read the president's comments that we just played? is it time for a new push, tighter gun control? >> well, first, let me say the nation is in mourning and reflection and prayer over what happened in newtown, connecticut there isn't a parent or grandparent that didn't visualize some someone they love subjected to this kind of violence why need a

national conversation of the joe lieberman called. we need a national conversation about safety. i would go beyond joe and say let's add that issue of school safety into this conversation as well. gun control is part of it we need to sit down and have a quiet calm reflection on the second amendment? are there guns that shouldn't be sold across america. military assault weapons such as the one involved in this horrific incident n connecticut? are there high am mission clips? high clips that have no value whatsoever when it comes to sporting and hunting and even self-defense. that a person could buy body armor, take that body armor and use it to protect themselves as they kill innocent people? can we have a thoughtful, calm reflection on these things do it in the context of our second amendment? i think we need to. >> chris: the president as we had in that clip mentioned regardless of politics and the fact is that we had that

slaughter of people at the movie theater in aurora, colorado just in july at that time you said you supported a ban on assault weapons. you also said. >> i do. >> chris: back at that time there is zero chance that congress will pass that. it's not just republicans, quite frankly as i pointed out to joe lieberman your party has been afraid because of politics to push this for the last decade. chris, there is plenty of blame on both sides politically. there is also a responsibility of the people across this nation i would appeal to the hunters and sportsmen i know them. they are good people. they love their families. they hear what they are hearing about new town, connecticut but they have been largely quiet. this conversation has been dominated in washington by, you know and i know, gun lobbies that have an agenda. we need for hermine, just ordinary americans to come together and speak out and to sit down and calmly reflect on how far we go. i'm going to be holding a hearing after the the

year in about two weeks or so on this constitutional question. that's the starting point. the supreme court raised questions about the second amendment, what are the protections? what are the responsibilities? let's spell this out? and let's try to do it in a thoughtful way and move forward together. that's what we need. >> chris: let's deal with some the arguments against new gun laws. the fact is that connecticut senator as you pell know has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. nancy lanza, the mother of the shooter had bought and registered these guns legally. what more can we do? >> well, listen, why in the world would anyone, even nancy lanza need a military assault weapon designed for the military that has the capacity to fire off hundreds of rounds? heart breaking to hear this coroner speak about these poor little kids whose bodies were riddled with bullets for goodness sakes. can we stop for a moment and

reflect on this? i'm all for sport and hunting and self-defense. this goes way beyond that. >> chris: finally, senator, blab those people who say and our next guest congressman gohmert is one of them that the real answer is not fewer guns but more guns so that if a person like this comes to a movie theater or a mall or a school, somebody is there who can take them down. >> i just -- i honestly think that that argument u.s. is -- argument just doesn't hold water. talking about arming teachers and principals? is that going to make us a safer america? i don't think so. too many people are harmed by firearms, their own firearms that are accidently misused or turn on them. i don't happen to buy that approach at all. i want to sit down and calmly discuss all the options. i think we need to do that as a nation. that's the only way we can move forward and make sure that there is a lesson to be learned in new town connecticut. >> let me just ask you after

aurora you said there was zero chance congress would pass a new law. do you still say zero chance? >> no. i think that what happened in new town, connecticut, may at least lead some to finally decide to sit down and to have this conversation. i really think we may have a chance because of this terrible tragedy. that's what happened after 9/11. it can happen after new town connecticut as well. >> chris: senator durbin, thank you for joining us today, sir. >> thank you. >> the core of the debate goes to a basic constitutional provision the right to bear arms. does this tragedy change or limit that? joining me now republican congressman louie gohmert of texas. congressman, welcome. >> great to be with you, chris. >> chris: attorney general holder spoke out about the shooting on friday. let's take a look at what he said. >> we need to discuss who we are as a nation. talk about the freedoms that we have. the rights that we have, and how those might be used in a

responsible way. >> chris: what do you think about his comments about our rights and our freedoms being used in a responsible way? >> well, i think coming from him, that's really important to note. coming from a man who is over a department that forced the sale of guns to people that would bring about the death of people like brian terry and there should be national outrage about mexicans, our neighbors, 200 or more that have been killed by the guns that his department have forcibly or forced to be sold. so, he is right. and really, senator durbin is right. but the conversation we have got to have has got to have everybody open-minded. i mean, we all react emotionally, that's why we have all shed tears and our prayers will continue to go for the people in connecticut who have lost loved ones. >> chris: after the movie here is the shooting in july in aurora, colorado, you said

what we need is more people carrying weapons so that if a shooter comes into a movie theater with a gun, somebody can stand up and defend him and defend other people. question: and this is the question dick durbin had. do we really want folks in movie theaters, and malls and schools armed? >> once we have this actually open dialogue about ever every mass killing of people in recent history has been in a place where guns were prohibited. these gun -- except for one. they choose this place, they know no one will be armed. you know, having been a judge and having reviewed photographs of these horrific scenes and knowing that children have these defensive

wounds, gunshots through their arms and hands as they try to protect themselves, and hearing the heroic stories of the principal lunging trying to protect, chris, i wish to god she had had an m 4 in her office locked up so that when she heard gunfire she pulls it out and she didn't have to lunge heroically with nothing in his hands takes him out and takes his head off before he could kill those precious kids. >> chris: i understand the right to bear arms and the supreme court meant supreme court was clear when they put the right to bear arms in the constitution. let me ask you the question dick durbin asked. why do people need these semiautomatic weapons? i was reading about the glock he had and the sigsower he had. five bullets a second bush master. these were created for law enforcement. these were created for the military. why does the average person. i can understand hunting rifle and hunting gun.

why do these weapons of mass destruction. >> for the reason that george washington said. a free people should be an armed people. it ensures against the tyranny of the government. if they know that the biggest army is the american people, then you don't have the tyranny that came from king george. that's why it was put in there. that's why once you start drawing the line where do you stop? and that's why it is important to not just look emotionally. our reaction is to immediately say let's get rid of all guns. you do as it a judge. you react emotionally but you use your head and you look at the facts. and the facts are that every time guns have been allowed, conceal carries have been allowed. the crime rate has gone down. washington, d.c. around us ought to be the safest place in america. and it's not. chicago ought to be safe. it's not. because their gun laws don't

work. >> chris: congressman, thank you. thanks for coming in today. we will see where this debate comes from here. >> thanks so much. >> chris: up next, we will talk with an expert about what can be done to make our schools safer. then our sunday panel as we continue our special coverage of the tragedy in the classroom. about taking aspirin. but they haven't experienced extra strength bayer advanced aspirin. in fact, in a recent survey, 95% of people who tried it agreed that it relieved their headache fast. visit fastreliefchallenge.com today for a special trial offer.

>> chris: the sandy hook school shooting confront some questions is my child's school as safe as it should be. what more can be done? joining me now from calabasas, california, is ronald stevens, director of the national school safety center. sheand hook elementary school had recently installed a new security system. the doors were locked at 9:30. you had to be buzzed in. to get into the school. but police say the shooter forced his way in so i guess

the question is, what more can a school do? >> it's a tremendous challenge for school officials because school campuses are not designed to be fortresses to be defended. they are places of learning. so, the expectation for schools is that they would take reasonable steps and when we look at the compassion and care and sacrifice of the administrators and teachers, that's probably one of the most significant factors but buns again if you have an armed getting on to the campus they will use use whatever means necessary. not uncommon situation where they defeat some the best systems that are in place. >> chris: i was fascinated, mr. stevens, by how much security and i didn't realize this a lot of our public schools already have, let's take a look at some of the security measures that are already there. 92% of public schools lock or monitor their doors.

61% use security cameras. 63% use electronic notification for a school emergency. what are the big gaps you still see out there, sir? >> one of the biggest gaps that i see is that schools so often are held to account for not supposed to ever be letting these kinds of incidents occur. and, yet, the schools reflect so much what's going on in society. we want schools to take steps that are appropriate but there are limitations and until someone is able to control the human mind in these choices that are made by deranged individuals, it's going to be very difficult. i think this national conversation that we are talking about has to go beyond schools in the communities and to homes into.

gather. keep our safer. >> chris: you heard what congressman gohmert just said, do we need armed guards inside schools? do we need a teacher or some kind of personnel, the principal who knows and has how to fire and has a weapon with him? >> i wish we didn't have to have armed guards in the schools. and, yet, the kinds of things that are happening now has been one of the chief items that has encouraged the presence of school resource officers all across the country. but, even on the best of days, to assume that the officer will always be in the right place at the right time at the right moment is difficult. you look at red lake, minute society that had officers at the schoolhouse gate as well as metal detectors and yet the assailant comes, in takes out the officer, walks right through the metal detectors. there are things that oftentimes simply can't. scope and control of school

officials that these are are some of the challenges that we face. >> one thing that seemed absolutely clear from what happened at sandy hook is they have done a lot of training there had been a lot of safety drills and it sure seemed, in terms of the response in the classrooms and evacuating the kids from the school that sure seemed to make a big difference in saving lives. >> well, it absolutely did. and we're probably a lot better at crisis response than we are at crisis prevention. but have those drills in place to have worked with administrator staff, the first responders and the students. i think is a remarkable tribute to what school officials had done there. but my take is we have got to continue to focus more on how we address this whole deal of the crisis prevention at the outset in addition to simply good crisis response. >> mr. stevens, we have to leaf it there thank you so

much for talking with us there. >> my pleasure. >> in a holiday season shatter ited by gunfire a grieving nation asked why and what can be done. next, we will hear from our sunday panel about the tragedy at sandy hook elementary.

>> it was great to see them at the same time we had a lot of people who couldn't find their kids. personal i have a good friend that lost her daughter. so it's very bitter sweet. >> fourth grade boy who got out safely express guilty the

anguish of all the moms sandy hook elementary. it's time for sunday group. brit hume brit hume. crystal from the "weekly standard" and liz of the christian science monitor. a list of some of the mass shootings. ' 2012. school july 20th. aurora colorado. white sprim mist in a sikh temple. jacob. lanza kills 27 plus himself. in fact there were 1313 mass shootings so far this year. brit, what is going on?

>> we certainly we do yet, this one. day comes up and i think than any of the others because of the scale of it and because of victims were little children. and so i think looking at it from a washington perspective, politically impact of it is likely to be greater. the hard thing to do in commenting on reacting to this is that so much of the information that we have gotten so far has turned out to be draw any conclusions. so much we know and it will be a while before it's possible. intelligent observations. what kind of steps can be taken to prevent this. >> nina, president obama talked about taking meekful action. but he also talked about

taking action after the shooting of gabriel giffords in january of 2011 that killed six and wounded 13 and he never did. do you think, we talk about. this the impact the some people are comparing emotionally to a 9/11 that after the massacre of these children and now re-election. that he might actually push for gun control? >> i think this is a tipping point. he spoke on friday, not just as a -- not just as a president but as a father and i had just left my daughter's elementary school concert and i think back to the shooting in the colorado mall. my sons, my teenage sons were seeing the dark knight that night. my nephew lost a friend and attended the virginia tech. keep in mind this was the second worse school shooting, virginia tech was even worse. i think it's important for the president at this point to take a look be done in a bipartisan way and agree with

senator lieberman it has to be commission, urgent commission. have you got to take -- you have got to look at how to take the word mass out of mass murder. you know, bodies, 6-year-old bodies with 3 to 11 wults in them. have to figure out a way not easy, not gun control. i'm not arguing that. when you can go online and order a magazine with 100 rounds of ammunition for $299, something's wrong. i think it has to start there it also has to look at the warning that were in place in all of these situations. mental health issues, privacy issues. there is a lot of issues that go into this. i do think gun control has to be part of it. >> bill, let's look at this from the republican point of view. should republicans change or modify their strong opposition to gun control, especially not the right to bear arms but especially on this question of these weapons of mass destruction. you know, as i say, the handgun that could fire five bullets in a second. the magazines, 100 rounds.

should republicans consider giving on that issue? >> i think republicans and everyone else should take a serious look at what might work. i think the speaker could well ask the republican chairman of the judiciary committee to hold hearings. hold serious hearings about what would work. don't do something symbolic like the assault weapons ban which did no good end up evaporating and sustained democratic wasn't restored when the democrats restored everything in 2009, 2010. so i'm totally open to having serious -- a lot of social science research on gun control. i don't think it's favorable to most efforts of gun control. i think everything has to be on the table too. is it gun free zones. maybe having security guards than having do background checks in a case where the purchase of the guns in this case pass background check. connecticut is a pretty liberal state. i believe the democratic party controls all the branches of government in connecticut. they chose not to ban the things we are talking about.

i guess. they could have. couldn't they? >> state laws are useless. can you order things online now. you have to look at -- i'm just saying let's have an honest debate and privacy laws, mental health. i do think the republican party shouldn't be in a position of saying you can't even discuss. this i think the speaker could easily ask control one house of congress, senator reid could this on the other side. have sirous hearings about the legal issues and the public policy issues. >> chris: you know, liz, i'm sure that some of our listeners listened to this talk about joe lieberman calling for a commission or bill kristol calling for hearings. and i don't mean this in a belittling way. they think we have heard this all before. that just means we will have some documents, we'll have some hearings and nothing will happen. and maybe nothing should happen. but, you know, people will sit there and say more of the same. >> and that is possible. i think i agree with nina that this feels a little bit like a tipping point. and one of the phrases you keep hearing is that people are fed up. there seems to be this desire

for action. not just a commission or a report or a debate or a national debate. there seems to be a stronger desire for let's find some concrete steps maybe that we can take right away. even if they make only a slight difference. maybe that will effect it it i also wonder if the politics of this might change. we are seen, you know, over the last few decades, gallup has shown support for gun control has fallen off pretty dramatically. you wonder if in the wake of this past election the democratic coalition seems to be changing somewhat. you wonder if democratic politicians may not see this as such a third rail issue as they had as you said with lieberman after the 2000 election and in recent years. >> you know, brit, one of the things that i value most about you is when everybody is rushing in one direction, you are a contrarian and you say wait a minute. >> we don't know what happened here. really. we don't. we don't know what happened inside that elm. who we don't know why for sure this woman seemed compelled to buy all these weapons if indeed that's what happened. we don't know much about this

young man. we need to know all of that before we make -- start making any policy predictions. we also need to find out as best we can what influences within the culture have created this -- may have helped to create this wave of violence. perhaps a decentization to violence. you see it on the screen. >> i was going to say there is no perhaps. there has been. i see my kids playing these games where they are soldiers. >> look, i played a lot of guns when i was a kid. see a lot of cowboy westerns. >> chris: it's different. >> i don't disagree with you. that needs to be part of it. mental health component as yell. there is a lot in this. if there is going to be investigation it shouldn't focus on single issue it should focus on all the things that may have contributed to this so we get a better picture of it. >> chris: what about the averagement if you have the commissions and you have the hearings, nothing happens? >> that's not necessarily the case. you have commissions and hearings and sometimes things do happen. we had a big commission after 9/11 and things did happen. so, it will depend, i think on

the extinct to which the political atmosphere has been changed by the horror at this kerr. it may well have. >> chris: you get the final word. >> i was going to jump. in it has to be seen in the context of this incident and the context of all these other incidents and the commonalities are there were warnings. it involved mentally unstable people and semiautomatic weapons. that's what you will find is common in all of these murders. >> a perfect storm. >> chris: thank you, panel. see you next week. don't forget to see panel plus group picks up with discussion on web site foxnewssunday.com and post the video before noon eastern time and make sure to follow us on twitter at "fox news sunday." we'll be back in a moment with a tribute to acts of sacrifice and courage in the face of evil. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] red lobster's crabfest ends soon.

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>>. >> chris: too often we let events like at sandy hook elementary be defined by the shooter. there is another way to look at

it. bravery of the school principal that ran to the gunshots giving her life to try to protect her students. first grader that ran out of a classroom door but not before grabbing his friend. we want to leave you those images and memories of our strength and goodness standing up to evil. we'll see you next fox news sunday. the community has come together, first responders have come together. counselors, it's amazing the immense amount of family that is shown in the city of newtown. ♪ >> in the coming days and in the